Samsung is answering back with a lawsuit of its own France reports
AFP. The South Korean company
alleges that Apple is infringing on three mobile phone technology patents and
that infringing products include the iPhone and the iPad. Specifically, the
complaint fixates on the iPhone 3G/3GS/4 and both generations of the iPad.

The three patents center on UMTS 3G technology that is found
in all cellular-capable iPads and iPhones with the exception of original iPhone
released in 2007.

Apple already won
a huge battle in Germany, as the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 (and its smaller
Galaxy Tab 7.7 sibling) have been kicked to the curb due infringements on
Apple's "minimalist design". Presiding Judge Johanna
Brueckner-Hofmann of the Dusseldorf, Germany asserted that, "The court is
of the opinion that Apple’s minimalistic design isn’t the only technical
solution to make a tablet computer, other designs are possible. For the
informed customer there remains the predominant overall impression that the
device looks [like the Apple iPad]."

Brueckner-Hofmann went on to add, "The crucial issue
was whether the Galaxy tablet looked like the drawings registered as a design
right. Also, our case had nothing to do with trademarks or patents for
technology."

The Wall Street
Journal is reporting that Samsung has
filed an appeal, but the company hasn't expounded on what grounds it’s
basing the appeal on.

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quote: UTMS patents can only be won if Apple made a competing design, since Apple is using components from suppliers they are not liable for these types of suits. They will get quickly dismissed.

Only if the maker of said products has an agreement with Apple to take on responsibility of those chips (indemnification clause). I don't know if they do, I'm sure Apple would require it, but it is possible that the agreement could be ruled invalid, it may not exist, it may not fully cover Apple, etc. This would allow Samsung to get a little bit of leverage in their case. It may even get Apple to back off a bit. But it is possible that Apple could still be ruled in violation, you don't have to make the product which infringes, you just have to use it.